RICHMOND, Va. — Richmond drivers are sharing their concerns after appearing in Richmond traffic court Wednesday afternoon, each having received a traffic violation for passing a stopped school bus with its stop-arm out.
Several told CBS 6 they believe the violations, distributed by Bus Patrol as part of Richmond Public Schools' stop-arm program which, in part, raises funds for the district, were unjustified.
Of the twenty people on the docket scheduled for the opportunity to contest their ticket, CBS 6 only saw three people opt to contest their ticket, risking the chance of a $250 fine and four demerit points added to their driving record.
All three of them were found guilty by a judge, including Darleen Slade, a Richmond Public Schools employee who was volunteering at a Special Olympics event at Huguenot High School when she got her ticket earlier this year.
"The students were still on the field, they hadn't been dismissed from the event, I was simply moving my car so that the bus could park with the other buses," Slade said.
In video taken by the stop-arm camera, Slade was seen passing a bus with its stop arm out, but the bus was in a parking lot, and Slade said she was sure the bus was not actively loading or unloading.
"They were simply trying to park, and I don't see the purpose of having the arm out. You're not receiving at that moment, no traffic should've been interrupted at that time," Slade said.
Natasha Smith said she received a violation for passing a stopped bus that was parked outside her student's school.
“This bus is scheduled to sit there for 20-30 minutes," Smith explained. "So, it wasn’t just a one-day incident. This happens every single day for at least the past three years.”
Smith opted to take a defensive driving course and pay a court fee, rather than try to contest the violation in front of the judge.
"It's a lose-lose situation," Smith said. "I know my first avenue is going to be how to provide feedback, because while I took the path of least resistance, that doesn't mean that I agree with the decision that's made."
Ebony Jones was hit with two different tickets for a similar situation: Passing a stopped school bus with its sign out, even though she says the bus was parked and not loading or unloading students at the time.
“Class was still in session. The cars were quiet, empty. It was just me," Jones, an active employee at a Richmond school at the time, said. "I got two. That's a $500 ticket. I'm not paying $500. I work there. I'm trying to help the city. I'm not paying $500 for leaving work."
According to Richmond Public Schools' Transporation Employee Handbook, a stop-arm's red control button should only be activated when the bus is completely stopped, and passengers are ready to unload or load.
However, a warning sign with flashing lights and a crossing control arm automatically activates whenever the bus door is open.
Drivers may make emergency stops, but that must be communicated.
When asked inf the protocols would be changed after CBS6 received multiple complaints about inconsistent use, a spokesperson with the district said driver training will not be changing going forward.
“If you get off the bus to smoke a cigarette, close your door somewhat, because you’re putting us all at risk. I had to take a whole day off of work today, I lose all my money twice," Jones said.
According to Virginia law, drivers who pass a stopped school bus with its warning lights out can be found in violation of the law.
The cameras that generate the violations show multiple angles, but do not show if anyone is actively getting on or off the bus.
"The program in and of itself is an amazing program," Smith said. "We're in a city where we need our kids to be protected, we definitely want to ensure the safety of other kids, other drivers. It's the enforcement that's the problem. The implementation, it's sloppy."
"I definitely think it should be looked at again, evaluated, and maybe, look at these particular incidents that are causing hardships," Slade and her colleague Torrie Lashley, who was in court to vouch for Slade, said. "Everything is not always black and white and sometimes you have to be actively involved in it to see that maybe some tweaking needs to be done to these protocols."
One person who contested their ticket in court argued they'd been waved through by a crossing guard near Patrick Henry School School of Sciences and Arts on Semmes Avenue. A video of the incident showed the driver stopping after seeing the stop arm out, then slowly moving forward.
The driver maintained that a crossing guard was waving traffic through and that he moved to prevent a bottleneck, following the crossing guard's instructions. He noted that he'd been a parent of the school for several years, and crossing guards may not be adequately trained on how to handle the situation.
"We have a lot of people on our Nextdoor app talking about this," Smith said. "Just trying to figure out, number one, what is the right thing to do?"
Have you received a ticket for the same reason? Email the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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